Abstract
With the globally aging population, the concept of “active aging” – optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security to enhance the quality of life as people age – has gained significant attention in policy and research. However, remaining engaged and active – physically and socially – might pose unique challenges for older adults who age alone. Thus, the paper examines the lived experiences of 18 Lithuanian older adults – home social services users – who age solo in different rural and urban communities. Ecomaps and semi-structured interviews were employed to explore and visualize their social networks and mobility patterns. The preliminary results reveal that social interactions of Lithuanian older adults are mainly limited to long-lasting relationships (such as neighbors who moved in around the same time or friends from childhood or work), with relatively few “newer” social connections, such as social services workers and nurses. Structural barriers such as inaccessible community infrastructure and declining health further restrict research participants’ opportunities to engage in cultural or leisure activities. As a result, they often remain in their homes, missing opportunities for social interactions, with most outings caused by necessity, such as healthcare-related visits. Although results indicate many barriers to active aging, this paper does not treat aging solo as inherently isolating. Instead, it emphasizes the need for social policy interventions that improve urban accessibility and support aging populations in maintaining active social lives. Implications for aging in place, social policy, and future research are discussed further in the paper.
Presenters
Jūratė CharenkovaPostdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Sociology, Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences, Lithuania
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Aging, Intergenerational Solidarity and the Polycrisis
KEYWORDS
Aging Solo; Active Aging; Community Engagement; Social Support; Qualitative Research
